Rock Archeologia

Livingston Taylor - Liv (1971 Capricorn Records)


Artist: Livingston Taylor
Album: LIV
Label: Capricorn Records
Catalogue: SD 863
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: US
Released: 1971
Genre: Folk, World & Country, Rock, Soft Rock
Total Time: 00:31:33

• Does the artist's last name look familiar? Does his singing style and guitar-picking style call a certain singer/songwriter of the same era to mind? Yes, Livingston Taylor is the little brother of singer/songwriter James Taylor. Although Livingston's younger, he started his career earlier than James, but he curtailed it early due to a psychiatric disorder. 
• This is Livingston's second album. He plays acoustic guitar on the songs, and plays piano on 4 of the 11 tracks ("Get Out Of Bed", "Open Up Your Eyes", "Be That Way", and on his excellent cover of "On Broadway"). Produced by Jon Landau (who produced most of Bruce Springsteen's legendary albums), this is a brilliant album, and really should have topped the charts. It's well produced and the songs are very well written, from the beginning song that really should've been a number one hit ("Get Out Of Bed") to the excellent closer ("I Just Can't Be Lonesome No More"). Probably the reason why it didn't chart is because Carole King and his big brother James were already topping the charts. He really should be ranked along with Jim Croce, Don McLean, Harry Chapin, Carole King, and brother James, and (more rarer) Nick Drake and David Ackles as one of the greatest 70s singer-songwriters of all time. Anyways, enjoy this rare 70s greatness.
• My favorite songs are "May I Stay Around", "I Just Can't Be Lonesome No More", and "Truck Driving Man" (which should be a theme song to all truck drivers).

                   Side One:
                  A1. Get Out Of Bed 2:49
                  A2. May I Stay Around 3:31
                  A3. Open Up Your Eyes 2:52
                  A4. Gentleman 3:14
                  A5. Easy Prey 4:42
                   Side Two:
                  B1. Be That Way 3:06
                  B2. Truck Driving Man 3:18
                  B3. Mom, Dad 2:40
                  B4. On Broadway 3:37
                  B5. Caroline 2:16
                  B6. I Just Can't Be Lonesome No More 2:46

• Members:
Vocals – Livingston Taylor
Acoustic Guitar – Livingston Taylor, Tommy Talton
Backing Vocals – Greg Prestopino
Electric Piano – Paul Hornsby
Drums – Bill Stewart
Flute – Dave Woodford
Lead Guitar – Tommy Talton
Organ – Paul Hornsby
Piano – Paul Hornsby (tracks: A2, A4-A5, B2-B3, B5-B6)
Tenor Saxophone – Dave Woodford

-----  ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ ----- 

...